The 3D gesture-based operation is growing in popularity for user interfaces of mobile terminals and means of locomotion. The sensor used for detecting the input means (such as the hand of a user) has only a limited detection range. The user must execute the gesture within the detection range in order to ensure that the gesture is able to be detected correctly. If the user's hand strays from the detection range, only incomplete data will be available to the system for interpreting and classifying the executed gesture. A fault-free detection is no longer ensured in such a case. While a cursor in the form of an arrow, which is superimposed onto the screen content, has become the predominant means for representing a 2D-input means (for instance a mouse), such cursor displays can be used only to a limited extent for the 3D-gesture-based operation and, depending on the application case, are also not desirable for optical reasons. The representation of a third dimension, in particular, is impossible when using conventional cursors.
German Published Patent Application No. 10 2011 053 449 describes a gesture-based man-machine interface for vehicles, in which user gestures directed at a display element are detected. It is proposed to present a visual symbol or a pointer on the display in order to supply the user with a visual indication of the position of the current input focus in an input. In addition, proposals are made by which buttons selected by gesture inputs can be highlighted in comparison to other screen content.
German Published Patent Application No. 10 2012 000 201 describes methods and devices for zooming functionalities displayed on a display unit of a vehicle using gestures executed in three-dimensional space. To train the user for the gesture-based operation of the device, the display of a window on a display is proposed that indicates a detection of a first predefined gesture. The window furthermore displays operating directions for additional inputs.